Mention in VP debate puts Northborough family in national light

On a beautiful fall afternoon this week, Reed Nixon sat in his wheelchair outside his family’s home, patiently waiting to give an interview for the umpteenth time since his story was shared by Paul Ryan in the vice presidential debate.

On a beautiful fall afternoon this week, Reed Nixon sat in his wheelchair outside his family’s home, patiently waiting to give an interview for the umpteenth time since his story was shared by Paul Ryan in the vice presidential debate.

As a photographer set up a small umbrella, a wind gust sent it toppling over directly onto the quadriplegic’s wheelchair, where it landed with a small thud.

"Good catch," Reed complimented himself with a grin. "Nice reflexes."

After the laughter abated, Reed explained that humor is one of the most important tools he’s used to keep himself and those around him upbeat in the face of great difficulty.

"If you can make a joke about it, it’s not as sad," said Reed, 34, who still gets his mother Sheryl to chuckle when he responds, "I can’t feel" each time she forgets what’s coming and asks, "How are you feeling?"

"It’s great to be around Reed," said Sheryl, a mother of six who has been able to overcome the hand dealt her family by counting her blessings.

She recalled with fondness the blessings she said GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney has given her family, starting with the trip he made on Christmas Eve 1995, eight months after 17-year-old Reed and his 16-year-old brother Rob were paralyzed in a car crash.

"He wasn’t helping us as a businessman or a politician or a millionaire," she said of Romney. "He was helping us as a person."

Romney’s visit and continued support of the family were mentioned by Ryan in his recent televised debate with Vice President Joe Biden. That mention on national TV sparked a media frenzy that rivaled the period after the tragedy 17 years ago when several national television stations aired stories on the Nixons.

After living half his life in a wheelchair, Reed said he’s learned a lot "the hard way" about the best ways to deal with personal tragedy.

"When I have goals I have to work toward, whether they’re big goals or small goals, I have something to focus on other than my situation," he said.

Some of the goals, such as just getting back home, were made possible by the overwhelming community support the Nixons received after the accident.

Area businesses and Rotary clubs raised tens of thousands of dollars, and a group of contractors got together to build a free addition to the family home on Wiles Farm Road so the brothers could keep living there.

A friend helped Reed complete the physical work on his Eagle Scout project, ensuring that a journey he had started as a young boy was completed. Rob also got help with his Eagle Scout project, attaining the rank a year after his brother.

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After graduating from Algonquin, the boys set out for college, with Rob getting a full scholarship to Brigham Young University and Reed attending Bentley University.

It took a painstaking decade of part-time classes, but Reed earned a degree in finance with a history minor in 2007.

He and his mother would take the trip to Waltham in a van, with Sheryl taking notes in the early days until classmates volunteered to do so.

"We have always tried to be looking for the blessings," she said. "The boys are alive, and their brains weren’t damaged."

Sheryl catalogued such blessings in a book she published last fall called "In the Blink of an Eye."

"It’s about choosing to be happy in the midst of life’s trials," she said.

For instance, Reed, a history buff and former Algonquin track star, decided to not let his situation get in the way of traveling to different landmarks and sporting venues he’d always wanted to see.

Although the trips require immense planning and effort to get from one place to the next, Reed has visited 21 states and Canada since 1995.

He cited his travels as proof that, although there are many things in his life he cannot control, there are so many more that he can.

"I’ve learned that you can impact your life more than you ever thought," said Reed. "You have a choice in your life (to be happy)."

Reed’s next goal is to get into finance like his brother, a certified public accountant who lives in California with his wife.

"They’re all married, except me," Reed said of his five siblings, a smile coming to his face. "Someone had to take care of mom and dad."

("In the Blink of an Eye" can be found on Amazon.com. Brad Petrishen can be reached at 508-490-7463 or bpetrishen@wickedlocal.com. For Northborough news throughout the day, follow him at twitter.com./Brad_Petrishen.)